Vicky Van

icky Van, as her friends called her, was signed all over her captivating personalit

were timed by the small and early numerals on the clock dial, and if her "little" bridge games kep

nt, who lived with me, our home was near enough the great boulevard to be designated by that enviable phrase, "Just off Fift

s, on the steps of her house, or entering her little car, and h

me there to call, I accepted gladly, and a

sible for Winnie, and too, she's too young to go where they play Bridge f

tly Bohemian-and yet, I suppose it did represent one compartment of that handy-box of a term. But I'm going

id Winnie, as I slithered into

tained the mature age of twenty-seven. We were orphans and spinster Aunt Lucy did her best to be a parent

guessed, raising her aristocr

the implication of that hairbreadth raise. "St

in amusement, and the kind blue eyes beame

ent respect, I didn't mind Aunt Lucy's calling me Chet, or even, as she sometimes did, Chetty. A man puts up with those thin

old shoulder and Winnie on he

e there-but as Aunt Lucy had so cleverly suspected, he was not my sole reason for going.

inst such a proceeding. But at eleven o'clock at night the traffic in those upper side str

to the Fifth Avenue corner, though the long side of th

hted, and I mounted the long flight of stone s

vening, Julie," as I passed her, and in another moment, I was in t

hands in mine for an instant, she considered me sufficiently welcomed, and danced off again. She was a will o' the wisp, alway

vibrant with the joy of living, smiling in s

head. It was banded with a jeweled fillet, or whatever they call those Oriental things they wear, and her big eyes with their

financial obligatio

out her home was ostentatious or over ornate, it

at swirled as she moved, and fluttered when she danced. The bodice part, was of heavily gold-spangled material, and a kind of overskirt arrangeme

gets older, and if I've made it sound rather-er-gay and festive, it's my bungling way of descr

bbons criss-crossed over her ankles, and on the top

me tangere-or some such name. Well, that's Vicky Van. She'd laugh and jest with you, and then if you said anything by way of a personal compliment or flirtatious foolery, she was o

done up in French gray and rose, as was the dictum of the moment. On the rose-brocaded walls were few pictures, but just the right ones. Gray enamel

ds were on mantel, low bookcases or piano. And sometimes the odor of a cigarette or a burning pastille of Or

flowers all about. Indeed, she detested Bohemianism, when it mea

yet, I knew its atmosphere would not please my A

nence, both socially and in her art circle. Jim Ferris and Bailey Mason were actors of a good sort, an

part of the room, and in the rest of the rat

y?" called out one of the card players. "The calor

Allen. "But not wide, for there's a surprise

hat ran all across the house behind both living-room and hall. It was beautifully decorated in pale green and silver,

knew, I looked about for fu

," said Cassie Weldon, seeing and

nd words," I called back over

it. Sometimes the guests brought more banjos and a concert of glees and college songs would ensue. But

oo, as I entered, pale pink shades dimmed the lights

gold-embroidered white satin foot-cushion. In front of her

ng to get here somehow,"

d Vicky, though in a vo

returned M

Mr. Calhoun?" and Vicky Van

Van Allen.

Mrs. Reeves says he is coming here tonig

know?" I drew up a chair to

ays-Norman Steele says, that Mr. Somers is a first-class al

laughed Vicky. "I choose my friends for the

t, dear," agreed Mrs. Reeves, "but this

on, who acted as ballast for the volatile Vick

tle brick. But once in a while I have to tell her a few things

m he hasn't asked me about. If I don't like him, I shall ask some of you nice, amiable men

n a rail any gentleman who might in any way be so unfortun

ownstairs, except Mrs. Reeves and Mr. Garrison an

s and a smile of her red lips, and I, for one, found it impossible to obey. I starte

e very good?" I begged. "I don't want Bert Garrison

urved lip. "Yes," she said, nodding her head. "Yes, stay, Mr. Calhoun. You ma

learned it from a correspondence scho

e to-morrow night, and I want two boxes, and this awful, dreadful, bad Mr. G

nt, and-I don't know what I'll say to them, exactly-but I'll fix up

id a much greater Herculean task than I had undertaken. And, of course, I

if I can't possibly turn the trick, I'll-well, I'll buy t

y, we'll just have a little party here, a sort of consolation party

rogram?" I asked quickly, hop

ally to have that theatre party and supper afterwar

ly favorite fox-trot being dashed off on the piano downstairs, she sprang from her seat, and kicking the satin cushion aside, asked m

need to guide her, she divined my lead, and swayed in any direction, even as I was about to indica

e. "I adore dancing, and you are one of the best partners I have ever had. Come, l

led the way, and we went

her appearance

ou! Come over here and liste

ip Ariadne is telling for solemn truth. It's

Van, a nice cosy corn

n, Lad

going to cut in at this ta

no such animal!" and Bailey Ma

you. Cassie, you give me your place, won't you, Ducky-Daddles? and you go and f

three good players, and in another moment she was breathlessly looking over her hand. "Without," she said

h the soft pedal down, she showed me a new little tone pic

exclaimed, as she finished, "your tal

he returned. "Sometimes I belie

assured her, for she had shown a bit of inventive genius